apothecary

nounpharmacist

Word Origin & History

mid-14c., "shopkeeper, especially one who stores, compounds, and sells medicaments," from Old French apotecaire (13c., Modern French apothicaire), from Late Latin apothecarius "storekeeper," from Latin apotheca "storehouse," from Greek apotheke "barn, storehouse," literally "a place where things are put away," from apo- "away" (see apo-) + tithenai "to put," from PIE root *dhe- "to put, to do" (see factitious). Same root produced French boutique and Spanish bodega. Cognate compounds produced Sanskrit apadha- "concealment," Old Persian apadana- "palace."

Drugs and herbs being among the chief items of non-perishable goods, the meaning narrowed 17c. to "druggist" (Apothecaries' Company of London separated from the Grocers' in 1617). Apothecaries formerly were notorious for "the assumed gravity and affectation of knowledge generally put on by the gentlemen of this profession, who are commonly as superficial in their learning as they are pedantic in their language" [Francis Grose, "A Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue," 1796]. Hence, Apothecary's Latin, barbarously mangled, also known as Dog Latin.

Example Sentences for apothecary

What I like about Mr. Fleurant, my apothecary, is that his bills are always civil.

So that, if your little girl were old enough, you would give her to an apothecary?

For Tom, after much cogitation, the profession of an apothecary had been selected.

Every man's house is now not only his castle, but his apothecary shop.

He was the son of an apothecary of Rudkjobing, in the province of Larzeland.

And Peter went off to the apothecary for his pretexted drugs.

Huston's, the apothecary, always full of people at post hour.

The apothecary was then paid for his trouble, and sent away.

Again the apothecary examined the body, and again he shook his head dolefully.

"She will want me—when the other is out of the way," the apothecary answered sullenly.

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Synonyms for apothecary

noun pharmacist

apothecary

Synonyms for apothecary

More words related to apothecary

druggist

pharmacist

pharmacy

apothecary

Synonyms for apothecary

More words related to apothecary

.css-1unrqcp{color:inherit;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}druggist

pharmacist

pharmacy

druggist